Second acts

Ive Francis: Then, Teacher Now, Cardiothoracic ICU

Ever since she was a little girl, Ive Francis wanted to be a teacher. “There was just no other job I ever thought I’d do,” says Francis, who taught third, fourth, seventh and eighth grades after graduating from William Patterson University in New Jersey. “I loved everything about teaching, especially the kids and my relationships with each and every one of them.”

While she was teaching, Francis got married and had two little girls. She taught for five years before they moved to New York. The teaching job market was difficult there, and the idea of getting re-certified in a new state was unappealing. It was time to do something else.

Why nursing? “I’d just had my babies, and being in a hospital seemed so much more exciting than being in a classroom. With a lesson plan, you know exactly what’s going to happen. Not so in a hospital, where it feels like anything could happen at any time.” Plus, the flexible hours held a lot of appeal for a mom who wanted to spend time with her small children and have a career.

Francis was understandably nervous about the career move. How would she be able to handle nursing school in addition to caring for two babies? How would they manage on just her husband’s income? “The classes were hard, much more so than those for my college degree. I struggled with the childcare situation, too,” she recalls. “My life was school and kids, with maybe some cooking and cleaning on the side.”

As soon as she graduated, Francis landed a job in the Cardiothoracic ICU at Westchester Medical Center. The struggle was well worth it. “I love the challenge of nursing. I love learning from the older nurses. I love the caring part, working with patients and being able to save their lives. As a teacher, it took a long time to see results. As a nurse, you can make a difference in a matter of minutes.”

There’s another part of nursing that captivates Francis: volunteer missionary work. She intends to take her children to India and Africa. “My husband and I want them to see all the good nursing can do in the world.”

Next up: A flight attendant who now works in a plastic surgeon’s office and hospital emergency room. “There’s so much flexibility in nursing. It works for our family.”